Total U.S. employment rose by 215,000 in March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, with the number of jobs increasing in retail trade, healthcare and construction—all sectors that have a bearing in one way or another on commercial real estate. Job losses continued to occur in manufacturing and mining, because of the continued energy slump.

Employment in healthcare increased by 37,000 over the month, about in-line with the average monthly gain over the last 12 months. In March, employment rose in ambulatory healthcare services, the sort of places that tend to take retail space (up 27,000) and hospitals (up 10,000). Year-over-year, healthcare employment has increased by 503,000.

Construction employment rose by 37,000 in March. Both residential and specialty-trade contractors saw job gains (up 12,000), as did heavy and civil engineering construction (up 11,000). Over the last 12 months, construction has added 301,000 jobs.